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    Wakulla Wonderful celebration returns on March 11

    By RACHEL S. PIENTA 4-H Director

    The Wakulla Wonderful event is back!  On Saturday, March 11, from 11 am to 4 PM, Wakulla 4-H invites the Board of County Commissioners, all elected county officials, our business community and all citizens to join Wakulla 4-H at the Wakulla County Courthouse square on High Road for a celebration of Wakulla’s founding and community history. Weather permitting, the celebration will be in the closed road and parking lot areas.

    Wakulla 4-H, along with community partners, invites everyone to come to this free birthday celebration that celebrates the history of Wakulla County.  The 2023 event will feature a historical timeline, tours of the old county jail and old courthouse, vendors, live music, a birthday cake, food trucks, and an interactive “Passport to Wakulla Adventures” activity for the first 100 youth on the day of the event. Walkers who complete the 32 mile Walk Across Wakulla Challenge will be recognized at the event with a race-style medal! Register here https://forms.gle/ufCF1PgtiG7xpaEi7.

    History of the Event
    In 2019, 4–H led the first ever and now annual celebration of Wakulla County’s birthday, the day the county was founded, March 11, 1843. The first celebration was held on the courthouse lawn, with live music, a food vendor, birthday cake, and a proclamation reading by 4–H members. Our plans for 2020 expanded to a street festival behind the courthouse. Plans were canceled by COVID 2 days before the event. In 2021, we celebrated Wakulla Wonderful with the Walk Across Wakulla program and a proclamation reading at the county commission meeting. In 2022, we brought back the street festival birthday party and incorporated Walk Across Wakulla into the festivities leading up to and during the event.

    4-H and Wakulla Wonderful: Ways to be Involved
    How will 4–H be involved? 4–H are the hosts of the event. Youth are actively involved in planning and will have the opportunity to do one or more of the following roles:
    1- be part of a 4–H booth/display about their club
    2 – read a section of the Proclamation on stage during the event
    3 – play another role on stage with chance drawings and recognitions
    4 – dress in costume that represents a specific time period and play a role with the history walk timeline OR be an event host at an assigned station

    180 Years of Wonderful: Celebrating Wakulla’s History
    Wakulla County has a rich and extensive history dating back 12,000+ years! Wakulla County was formed on March 11, 1843 by an act of the Florida Legislature as the 23rd county of Florida. In recognition of Wakulla’s history, Wakulla 4-H will ask the Board of County Commissioners to declare March 6-11, 2023 as Wakulla Wonderful Week in Wakulla County.

    Wakulla Wonderful Week seeks to send a message of recognition and celebration of Wakulla’s 180th birthday. This week will allow time to reflect on the wonderful county we live in and the benefits we have living here. Wakulla 4-H serves the purpose of educating our citizens and youth, inspiring growth in everyone and pledging our heads to clearer thinking, our hearts to greater loyalty, our hands to larger service, and our health to better living so that our citizens can make Wakulla County even more wonderful.

    The event will feature live music, historical tours and an illustrated history walk, vendors, and more. “Walk Across Wakulla” participants will be recognized during the event.

    Special thanks is due to all the Wakulla Wonderful partners, volunteers, and committee members. This event would not be possible without support from Wakulla Sun, the Wakulla Library, Friends of the Library, Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office, Lamar Advertising, the Wakulla County Historical Society, the Wakulla County Chamber of Commerce, UF/IFAS Wakulla County Extension, the Wakulla County Clerk of Court, Visit Wakulla, Rockulla, and the Wakulla Board of County Commissioners.

    How to Get Involved
    Community and civic organizations are invited to participate in the celebration. Please contact Dr. Rachel Pienta at 850-926-3931 or r.pienta@ufl.edu for registration information. Local vendors who offer Wakulla-made items may also apply to be included in the event. Space is limited. Food truck vendors may also apply to participate.

    Dr. Rachel Sutz Pienta is director of Wakulla 4-H.